Contract Marriage

Chapter Thirteen: Our marriage isn't f****d up

“How are you feeling?” Tio asked in his raspy sleeping voice. His hands wrapped firmly around her stomach as he snuggled to her. Tio know he will have to get up, moreover he felt stifling hot and dirty. Because, he jumped to bed right away and didn’t clean himself after work.

“Vita?” Tio called out her name again. He was sure that she is awake, but why is she not answering him?

He let the silence take over. He can only feel their breathing and the air condition sound around the room. Holding her still, he suddenly feel her sagged. He knew she was awake all this time. He unwrap his arms and grabbed her shoulder to turn her to face him. She is not putting a fight, but once she turned, she hide her face on his chest as she continue to sob.

“What is it? Is it your stomach again?” He asks while running his hand on her hair up and down. She shakes her head slowly and that only make him more confused.

“Were you from the office when you came home to change?” Her voice is low and a little trembling. But her face stays on his chest. She couldn’t face him yet and the image in her head just get stronger. Her mind is set to him with another woman. She just couldn’t take it if it was true.

“No, I’ve gone to the mall to get something which that reminds me. I’ll get it later, after you tell me what’s wrong.” He said, determined to get his answers. There’s just too much tear in one day, he couldn’t handle it.

“I was cleaning your clothes from the closet and I noticed something. Please, tell me the truth. Did you came from a meeting?”

“What is this, Vita?” He push her off him so he can see her face. Dry tears stained her face. He get up to a sitting position to have a better position for a conversation. Tio make her to sit, so they can have a proper conversation.

“I saw a lipstick stain on your shirt.”

“Oh my God, Vita. You are stressing me out with your constant paranoia and jealousy. Give me a break.” He groaned and drop his head to her shoulder. He will go crazy if this happen again. He didn’t know his wife is a jealousy type like this.

“I’m not jealous. I’m just afraid of losing you. I don’t want to lose you, Tio.” She murmured.

“You won’t. You’re bound to me. As long as you are here, you’re with me.” He looked up to her with a serious gaze. Tio didn’t expect her to say that. What makes her said that about him? What have he done to her to make her stated afraid of losing him? He couldn’t even think of one reason.

Tio break their gaze and leaned over towards his nightstand. He grab something from the drawer and then close it again. Back to his sitting position, he handed her the thing on his hand. But Vita only look at it, not moving a muscle.

“I know your phone is broken. So I took the liberty to get you a new one. Take it, don’t you know that is rude to not accept someone’s offer, especially your husband’s.” Tio tells her, lifting his eyebrow as he wait for her to take the action.

She surprised him by giving him a hug. “Thank you, Tio.”

-                                                                            

Tio and Vita walking down the stairs hand in hand in their house. They are going to have dinner, they just got done showering and fresh like a blooming flowers. Tio is leading the way to the dining room while Vita is following him not far behind, because they are holding hand.

They seated on the chairs and the dinner brought out. They eat in silence and peacefully, the maids is not bothering them by walking in and out.

“Have you consider about what I said?” Tio asked, wiping his mouth with a napkin. They don’t asked for a dessert, because they just don’t want to for tonight. And Vita doesn’t feel like eating one.

“About my job?”

“Yes.” Tio confirmed.

Vita get up from her chair and move towards Tio. She sit on his lap which he welcomed and wrapped an arm around her waist. She have her arms wrapped around his neck as she is looking at him.

“Can I say something?” She proposed.

“Sure.”

“I work as an editor at a publishing company. I have been for years and it gets my interest to write my own book. I want to write a book about us.” At the last sentence, she said it very quietly. Because she’s unsure what he will respond to that. She can see his face twitched, but he haven’t say anything.

“You want to write a book about our f****d up marriage?” He lifted his eyebrow in asking. They stay in that position, but the tension risen. Something in him about her asking that just doesn’t sit right with him.

“Our marriage isn’t f****d up. Don’t say that. You are the best husband I could ever ask for.” She cupped his cheek and leaned down to kiss his lips. It’s just a peck, in order to make him calm down. He doesn’t like the idea of her writing a book about them, that’s okay. She won’t burden him with things like that.

“I won’t force you to agree, if you don’t allow me. I can write something else, but just let me write a book when I am staying at home.” She softly said, running her hand on his sleek hair. He sighed and drop his head back to the chair. “What’s wrong?” She asked.

“Okay. You can write a book about us, but don’t mention our name in it and don’t over exposed me and my work. Is that a deal?” He pull his head back up and look at her dead serious. The only thing he’s worried about is if Vita put too much information about his work into the book.

“Yes.” She nods her head in joy.